Process and apparatus for making boxes.



M. R. KONDOLF.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. 1916.

1 22Q5 1 7 o Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

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M. R. KONDOLF.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. 1916.

1,22Q5 l 7. I Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

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PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOXES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1916.

1 2%(L5 1 7 Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M. R. KONDOLF.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING 50x55.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-9.1916.

Patented Mai. 27, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

amuewtoz MM K QBL atfoznu cates the female die or mold, which is box- MATHIAS R. KONDOLF, OF

are curios.

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

rnocnss AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING nexus.

1 220,517, Specifieati Applicationfiled February To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATHIAS R. KoNuom, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and -an improved apparatus for making boxes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved process for making boxes.

These and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of thepacking for making an air tight joint between the sides and top of the apparatus.

F i 4 is vertical section through a modion I the line fied orm o the apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a second modified form 'of the apparatus. In the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts. In the drawings reference numeral 1 indilike in form and is open at thetop and is shaped to conform to the finished box.

Around the upper edge on the inside of the die it is beveled as indicated at 2. On one side is provided a lug or lugs 3 on which is f pivotally mounted a lever 4. On the opposite side .is provided the lug or lugs 5 on which is pivotally mounted the handle 6,

which en ages with the ends of the lever 4.- for the purpose of locking it in place.

A rectangular frame 7 is provided which conforms in size and shape to the top of the mold and is provided on its under side with a packing strip 8. This frame is preferably loosely attached to the lever 4:.

Fitting inside of the mold at the top is the cover 9 which is beveled at the top at 10 between which bevel 10 and the bevel 2 is formed a seat for the packing strip 8 by the combination of which the mold 1 is etters Patent. Patented Mair. 2'7, 1917.

9, 1916. Serial No. 77,26.

closed at the top and made air tight. On this cover is formed the parts of the male die as follows:

In the cover 9 is formed the cylinder 11. In this cylinder ismounted to slide the piston 12 which piston is formed of two parts,

the upper part 12 and the lower part 12".

The upper part makes a threaded engagement with the lower part by which the two parts are held together. The lower part is recessed at 13 and has an opening 14 therein. Through this opening passes the shank 15 of a stud, the head 16 of which engages in the recess 13.v Sufficient clearance is provided so that the stud and shank may move laterally on the piston as it moves up and down with the piston.

The shank and stud are threaded and a cam are provided webs 25. On the cover 9 is provided the web 26 which-projects downwardly therefrom and is rectangular in shape as shown in section in Fig. 2 and on its lower edge is provided with an inwardly projecting rim 27. o

The webs 25 are slotted as indicated at 28 and through the slots pass studs 29 which make threaded engagement with the rim 27.

"iThe heads of these studs engage under the fwebs 25 and support the sections in place.

The slots 28 are elongated and the sections 20, 21, 22 and 23 are thus mounted to slide on the studs 29 so that they can move toward and away from the sides of the mold 1. The cylinder 11 is slotted at 30 to receive sup- .port and guide the webs 25 which pass through the cylinder. These webs are engaged by the cam block 17 on the inside of the cylinder.

In the top of the cylinder is threaded the .pipe 31 through which compressed air is admitted to the cylinder. This air forces the piston 12 down. The piston carries with it the cam block 17 which engages with the webs 25 as it moves down and forces them out and with them the sections 20, 21, 22 and'23 of which they form a part.

On the sections 20, 21,v 22 and 23 are formed the lugs 32 and on the cylinder 11 are formed the lugs 33 and between them is stretched the tension springs 34 by the contraction of which the sections 20, 21, 22 and 23 are drawn back to and held normally against the web" 26. It will be understood that when the piston descends these sections will be forced out by the cam block 17 and when the piston ascends they will be drawn by the springs 34.

In the bottom of the mold is provided the section 24 which has a web 35 thereon that engages with the extension of the cylinder 11 and, slides thereon the extension forming a guide therefor. On this section 24 is provided lugs 36 and on the stud 29 are provided the lugs 37. Between the lugs 36 and 37 are stretched the tension springs 38 which act todraw the section 24 up, and

hold it suspended from the cover 9.

On the bottom of the stud 15 hearing against the nut 18 is provided the compression' spring 39 which encircles the stem 40 and bears against the section 24. lVhen no further pressure is applied to the top of the piston 12 the springs 38 will operate to lift the section 24, spring 39 and the cam block and piston. \Vhen air pressure is applied to the top of the piston the piston is forced down carrying with it the cam block and spring 39 compressing the spring against the section 24 and forcing it down toward the bottom of the die stretching the springs 88.

In the side of the cylinder is provided a port 41. When compressed air is admitted to the top of the piston, the piston travels down until the piston uncovers this port,

upon which the compressed air will flow through this port and raise the pressure in the mold. As the piston travels down and before the port 41 is uncovered the section 24 will be forced down and thereafter the sections 20, 21, 22 and 23 will be forced out.

As soon as the port 41 is uncovered the air pressure in the mold will raise the cover 9 and compress the packing8 and make the joint air tight.

It will be understood that within the mold will previously be placed two or more layers of material 42 suitably coated with an adhesive, which layers will be mechanically formed to the shape of the mold by the moving, of the forming sections 20 to 24 inclusive, and after the port 41 is opened will be pressed together by compressed. air. To secure a distribution of air between the forming sections and the material the forming sections are grooved orscored as indicated -is being made is subjected to pressure from the inside by said air. Thereafter the box may also be subjected to pressure from the outside by compressed air as will now be described.

A pipe 45 is provided which connects with suitable passageways 46, 46, 46 in the bottom and sides of the die. The bottom and sides of the die are grooved or scored as indicated at 47 which grooves or scorings are connected by the ports 48 to the passageways 46. The grooves and scorings in the die may be arranged in two series placed at an angle to each other the same as is provided in the forming section. After'air' pressure is applied to the box from within compressed air may be admitted throughthe pipe 45 which pressure will compress the layers of box material from the outside and the box will be floated or held by airpressure both within and without the box.

Before air is admitted through the pipe 45 the pipe 45 may be left open for the purpose of draining any air that may be trapped between the outer layer of box forming material and the die.

The pipes 31 and 45 will be controlled by three-way valves such as are shown in Fig. 4 which will both admit air to the die or exhaust it. To permit air to pass upwardly past the piston the upper part of the piston 12 is perforated and,'in the opening formed, a. check valve 49 is placed which consists of a. ball pressed downwardlyon its seat by a spring, this valve will prevent the air from flowing down through the piston into the die when the air is admitted but will permit the air in the die to flow up through thepiston when it is to be exhausted. So that the stud 15 will not close the opening and interfere. with the exhaustion of the air, thetop of the stud may be grooved or fluted or the stud will be perforated as indicated at 50 so that the air can flow up therethrough.

A relief valve 51 may also be provided in the cover for use if desired.

The operation of this apparatus for making boxes isas follows:

The handle 6 is swung to the left and the lev er 4 is raised and with it the rectangular frame 7 Thelzover 9 is then lifted out exposing the interior of the die. The several layers of box making material properly coated with an adhesive are then placed in the die and the cover and its box forming sections are then put back in place. There- After the cover has been removed the airmay again be turned on through the pipe 45 for the purpose of stripping the box from the die. 7

It will be understood that the apparatus shown in the figures may be inverted in which case the cover'will be stationary and the box forming layers will be placed over the five sections attached to the cover, and the female die will then be placed over the box forming material and sealed to the cover.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form of packing 52 for closing the joint between the cover and the die. This form of packing will automatically seal the joint as the air pressure comes on.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form of apparatus in which the die 60 is substantially the same as the die 1 shown in Fig. 1. This die is however beveled on the outside at 61. The die is provided with the cover 62 which has lugs 63 thereon with which engage thumb nuts 64 that engage with the threaded links 65 pivoted to the lugs 66 on the die 60. The packing strip 85 is provided between the cover 62 and the die 60. On this cover is formed the parts of the male die as follows:

On the cover 62 is provided the cylinder 67 in which moves the piston 68. In the bottom of the die is provided the box forming section 69 having a stem '70 formed thereon which engages with the extension of the cylinder 67 by which it is guided in its movement up and down. Between the piston 68 and the stem 70 is provided the compression spring 71 by which the force of the piston 68 is transmitted to the stem 70 and section 69. In the cylinder 67 are provided ports 7 2 that are uncovered when the piston reaches the bottom of its movement. Four of theseports are provided. Eachof these ports opens into a cylinder that is'fOrmed on and at right angles to the cylinder 67. Four sections 73 are provided, one for each side of the box to be formed. On each of these sections is formed the web 74. In the web 74 is fastened a pin 75 that engages with the slot 7 6 formed in the cylinder 77 by which the section 73 and its web is held to a forward and back movement.

In each of the cylinders 77 is provided a piston 78. Between this piston and the section is provided a compression spring 79 by which the force of the piston is communiouted to the section When air is admitted to the cylinder 67 the piston 68 is forced down compressing the spring 71 pushing the section 69 ahead of it, to compress the layers of material and form the bottom of the box. The section 69 is suspended by the springs 80 which springs at their upper ends are attached to the sections 73 near the bottom. Similar springs 81 are attached at one end to the sections 7 3 near the top and to the cover 62 at the other end. By these springs the section 69 is held up and the sections 73 are held retracted. When the piston 68 descends the compres sion of the spring 71 overcomes the tension of the springs 80 and causes them to stretch as the section 69 is forced down.

When the ports 72 are uncovered the air passes through them into the cylinders 77 and forces the pistons 78 forward, compressing the springs 79, which in turn push the sections 73 outward, stretching the springs 80 and 81.

It will be understood that the piston 68 is shown in Fig. 4 at the bottom of its movement when the air pressure is applied thereto but when the air pressure is removed the contraction of the springs 80 and the expansion of the spring 71 will cause the piston 68 to rise 50 that it stands above the ports 72. The air can then flow out from the cylinder 77 through the ports 72 into the cylinder 67 below the piston 68 and flow up through the piston 68 past the check valve 83 which lifts to allow the air to escape from below the piston but will hold the air when it compresses above the piston. A relief valve 82 is also provided in the cover 62.

When the pistons 78 advance they will unthe layers of box forming material to press 7 them together.

Except as is above described the construction and operation of the apparatus, shown in Fig. 4 will be the same as that shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 5 the die and cover are tapered and in this case the cover forms a male die. In this figure 90 indicates the mold or female die and 91 indicates the male die. On the male, die is provided the section 92 having thereon a stem 93 having a head 94 thereon which engages the spring 95, which spring is carried on a recess 96 formed in the cover, the top of which recess is closed by the threaded plug 97. \Vhen the male die 91 is put in place the section 92 presses the layers forming the bottom of the boX or basket. When the section 92 encounters resistance the male die 91. continues to advance and compresses the spring 95 as it advances. It also presses the layers of material forming the sides of which, after the lever 98 is locked in place,.

the male die 91 can be forced down mechanically to form the layers of box forming material. A packing strip 104 is provided between the male die and the female die and is held in packing position by the spring 105 on the male die.

Air pressure is supplied through the pipes 31 and as above described for the purpose of completing the box. Vents 106 are provided for connecting the space between the male and female dies with the recess in the male die which holds the packing strip so that the air pressure will force the packing strip more securely to place against the female die and seal the joint between the two dies.

It will be understood that boxes may be formed with this apparatus out of blanks or sections such as are described in my previous application 73,468, filed January 21, 1916, or round boxes or round cornered boxes or boxes of other shape may be formed with apparatus of this type modified in form to correspond with the shape of the box.

It will also be understood that the layers or sections of box making. materials such as are described in my prior application 7 3,468 cannot be pressed together uniformly by metal dies because in some places, in each section, the stock will be doubled or trebled upon itself making the cross section two or more layers thick at one place with but a single layer adjacent thereto in the same cross section and such thick parts of the sections will take the pressure of the dies and the thinner parts will not be pressed, but if air pressure is used after the mechanical pressure the whole surface will be pressed alike.

It will also be understood that steam or any other fluid medium may be used instead of compressed air for operating the sections and applying pressure to the box,-

these being regarded as the equivalents of each other. Steam will have the advantage of heating the adhesive and even softening the stock or making it more pliable or flexible so that it will be more readily formed under pressure.

It will also be understood that a high air or steam pressure will be used for pressing the layers together and causing the adhesive to disseminate itself and impregnate the fibers, and even weld the layers together,

On this lever 98 isof the die and form shown in Fig. 5 may be Varied within wide limits and more especially made much smaller than is therein shown; The taper maybe made so small in fact-that it would be as small as onefourth inch to the foot, or just sufficient to permit the. ready removal of the finished box from the form and the nesting of the boxes for shipment. Boxes made of such proportions can be used without change or can be easily converted into boxes having parallel sides by drawing the sides into substantially parallel position by means of a cover with flanges thereon either open or closed at the corners,-'or by wire or band fasteners around the box with or without the cover or by partitions or stays within the box.

It is-also intended to make boxes of this type of as much as six cubic feet capacity and with Walls of even one-fourth or threeeighths of an inch in thickness which boxes would be used for the shipment of heavy and bulky articles now shipped in wooden boxes or crates.

I claim:

1. v The process of making a box which consists in first loosely combining a plurality of layers with an adhesive between them to shape an unfinished box and then subjecting said layers to mechanical pressure and then pressing said layers closely together with compressed air.

9.. In a box making machine the combination of means operating mechanically to shape a box out of a plurality of layers of material provided with an adhesive between them and means operating thereafter pneumatically to press said layers closely together and finish the box.

3. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die. box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon and on the bottomof said. frame to move downwardly thereon. and a cam block mounted to move longitudinally and laterally in said frame to move said sections.

4. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die. a

section by whichthe movement of said block is transmitted to said bottom section, said block being so shaped that the bottom section will be moved to and held in position against the bottom of the die before the lateral movement of the side sections on the frame begins.

5. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die, box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon and on the bottom of said frame to move downwardly thereon, a cam block mounted to move longitudinally and laterally in said frame to move said sections, and a piston for driving said cam block.

- 6. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die,

box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon and on the bottom of said frame to move downwardly thereon, a cam block mounted to move longitudinally and laterally in said frame to move said sections, a spring interposed between said block and the bottom section by which the movement of said block is transmitted to said bottom section, said block being so shaped that the bottom section will be moved to and held in position against the bottom of the die before the lateral movement of the side sections on the frame begins, and a piston for driving said cam block.

7. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die, box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon and on the bottom of said frame to move downwardly thereon, a cam block mounted to move longitudinally in said frame to move said sections, and a piston for driving said cam block, said cam block being mounted to move laterally on said piston while moving longitudinally therewith.

8. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die,

, box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon and on the bottom of said frame to move downwardly thereon, a cam block mounted to move longitudinally in said frame to move said sections, a cover for said die, means for forming an air tight joint between said cover and said die and means for furnishing compressed air to the die.

9. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die, box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon and on the bottom of said frame to move downwardly thereon, means mounted in said frame and driven by compressed air to move said sections, a cover for said die, means for forming an air tight joint between said cover and said die and means for furnishing compressed air-to the die.

10. In a box making machine the combination of a mold, a cover for said mold, a die attached to said cover and cooperating with said mold to mechanically form a box, packing between said cover and said mold for making an air tight joint between them, and means for admitting compressed air to the space between said die and mold for immediately compressing the box making materiaLcontained therein.

11. In a box making machine the combinationof a die, a frame supported in said die, box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon, and means for moving out said-sections to form the boxmaking material between them and the die, said means thereafter admitting compressed air to the die for the purpose of subjecting the box directly to air pressure.

12. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die, box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame tomove outwardly there- 011, means for moving out said sections to form the box making material between them and the die, and means for thereafter admitting compressed air to the die for the purpose of subjecting the box directly to air pressure.

'13. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die, box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon, a piston and a cam block attached thereto for moving out said sections, and a port uncovered by said piston after said sections have been moved out to admit compressed air directly to said die.

14. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die, box forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon, a piston and a cam block attached thereto for moving out'said sections, said cam block being movable laterally on said pis- 15. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die, a box formingsection mounted on the bottom of said frame to move downwardly thereon, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder for driving said section, and a port in said cylinder uncovered by said piston to pass compressed air therethrough after the piston has moved forward. a

16. In a box making machine the combination of a die and a form each having converging sides, the one being adapted to fit within the other and mechanically compress box making material between them, said die and form being capable of holding compressed air between them to pneumatically compress the box making material. 17. In a box making machine the combination of means operating mechanically to shape a box out of a plurality of layers of material, and means operating thereafter pneumatically to press said layers closely together and finish the box.

18. In a box making machine the combination of a die, a frame supported in said die, boX forming sections mounted on the sides of said frame to move outwardly thereon and on the bottom of said frame to move downwardly thereon, a cam block mounted to move longitudinally and laterally in said frame to move said sections, a cover for said die, means for forming an air tight joint between said cover and said die and means for furnishing compressed air to the die.

19. The process of making a box which consists in first loosely combining a plurality of layers to shape an unfinished box and then subjecting said layers to mechanical pressure and then pressing said layers closely together with compressed air.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MATHIAS R. KONDOLF. 

